Football:
BERLIN, Aug 31, 2014 (AFP) -
Japanese international Shinji Kagawa has returned to Borussia Dortmund after completing a move from Manchester United on Sunday.
Dortmund are thought to have paid around 8 million euros ($10.5m, £6.3m) to resign Kagawa, who had a hugely successful first spell at the German club between 2010 and 2012.
After scoring six goals in 38 Premier League games for United, the 25-year-old has now returned to Dortmund on a contract that runs until June 2018.
“I already said in an interview on the day I left that the Borussia Dortmund chapter was not closed for me,” Kagawa told Dortmund’s official website.
“I wanted to fulfil a dream in the Premier League. Now I’m just happy to be back in Dortmund - with this great team, in this amazing environment, these unique fans.
“BVB is like a family. I’m proud that they haven’t forgotten me and that I can belong to it again.”
Kagawa found opportunities limited at Old Trafford and was linked with a return to Dortmund throughout his two seasons in England.
The playmaker was finally given the green light to leave by new United manager Louis van Gaal, shortly after he made his last appearance for the club in a 4-0 League Cup defeat to Milton Keynes Dons.
“The chance to bring Shinji Kagawa from Manchester United to BVB presented itself for the first time in the last few days,” Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said. “Naturally we decided to sign this hugely talented player again.”
Kagawa first joined Dortmund from Japanese side Cerezo Osaka in the summer of 2010. He scored 21 goals in 49 Bundesliga matches in his first spell at the club, winning the Bungesliga title in 2011 and a league and cup double in 2012.
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